Feeler mechanism for looms



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OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEEIER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. a, 1921.

Application filed May 6, 1920. Serial No. 379,265.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ISAAC SNOW, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex andState of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in FeelerMechanisms for Looms, of'which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters onthe drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms, through theinstrumentality of which the filling is replenished when that in theactive shuttle reaches a degree of substantial exhaustion.

Heretofore, feeler mechanisms have been devised which depend for theirfunctional operation upon a-rotative or partial rotat-. ing movementbeing given the feeler when the filling is substantially exhausted on adetecting beat. The present invention relates to this general type offeeler mechanism, and has for one of its objects to simplify theconstruction of the rotative type of feeler mechanism and render itresponsive either to the presence or substantial absence of filling inthe shuttle. I

An important feature of the present invention consists in a feelerhaving two tips which are laterally oflset or separated and whichdiverge to engage a surface within the shuttle on a detecting beat atopposite sides of the longitudinal center of the engaged surface. Theeffect is that the rotative movement or tendency to rotative movement ofthe feeler will be exerted by the frontward pressure of the surfacewithin the shuttle on each detecting beat, and when'the filling issubstantially exhausted, the feeler will partake of the rotativemovement under the frontward pressure.

In the present invention, the feeler is supported by a carrier so thatit may be moved toward and from the front of the loom, and is preferablyunder the influence of a spring which normally turns the feeler into aposition to cause the two tips to engage the surface within the shuttleabove and below the horizontal plane passing through'the longitudinalaxis of the filling carrier or bobbin. The feeler is connected to atrain of mechanism for effecting replenishment of filling when thefeeler is given its rotative movement due to the frontward pressure uponit.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the feelermechanism and a portion of the shuttle into which the feeler extends andfeels for the filling on a detecting beat, a working supply of fillingbeing present in the shuttle;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, showing the action of thefeeler when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat;v

Fig. 3 is a cross section, substantially on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the engagin end or tips of the feeler;

*ig. 5 is a transverse section through the bobbin or filling carrier,showing the turning action imparted to the feeler by the frontwardpressure of the filling carrier or bobbin when the filling issubstantially exhausted on a detecting beat; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5, showing the feeler held fromturning movement under the frontward pressure, by en gagement of theteeth of the feeler tips with the filling.

The filling replenishing mechanism-may be of usual and well knownconstruction, and similarly, the train of mechanism between the feelerand filling replenishing mechanism may be of suitable character toimpart to such train of mechanism a movement to efiect replenishment offilling, when the feeler is turned or rotated. The details of thefilling replenishing mechanism and the train of connection between thefeeler and the replenishing mechanism are not here illustrated, as theymay be of a character usual in this class of devices.

A bracket 1 having a top supporting portion 2 is provided with a slot 3whereby it may be secured to an appropriate portion of a loom frame toafford a support for the feeler mechanism. Secured to the supportingportion 2 of the bracket 1 is the feeler carrier 4: which, in thepresent instance, comprises a plate having front and rear flanges 5 and6 which may be formed by upturning the end portions of. the plate 4 as aconvenient'construction, or may be secured to the plate. The feelercarrier 4: is secured to the supporting portion 2 of the bracket bysuitable means such as the bolts 7 which pass through a slot 8 in the fel r a rie thereby permitting adjustment of the feeler carrier on the.support.

The construction thus far described is a convenient, simple andeffective form of means for sustaining the feeler, but it will beevident, of course, that such supporting means may be variouslycontrived within the true scope of the presentinvention, which is moreparticularly directed to the feeler itself and its characteristicconstruction.

The feeler is mounted upon the feeler carrier for movement toward andfrom the front'of the loom in the present instance, 7

and also for rotative movement. In the present instance, the V feelercomprises a flat plate 9 which extends through a slot 10 in the rearflange portion 6 of the feeler carrier, and has a frontwardly-extendingstem- 11 which passes through an opening in the front flange 5 of thefeeler carrier, the construction being such that the feeler may havereciprocating movement toward and from the front of the loom.Surrounding the stem 11 of the feeler is the spring 12, one end of whichis connected at 13 to the feeler or plate 9 and the other end of whichis connected at 14: to the front flange 5, the construction being suchthat the spring 12 normally forces the feeler rearwardly into its rearor feeling position and exerts a torsional action in opposition to therotative tendency of the feeler under the frontward pressure uponthetips thereof, as will presently appear. In the present instance thetorsion of the spring 12 is exerted 'contraclockwise upon the feeler.

The rear end portion of the feeler is provided with two tips which arelaterally separated and which extend in opposite directions from thebody of the feeler. In the present instance the feeler 9 has the twotips 15 and 16 which are laterally separated, that is, the tip 15 andthe tip 16 have between them an interval or space 17 formed in the endof the feeler. The two tips 15, 16, diverge or extend in oppositedirections to engage a surface within the shuttle on a detecting beat atopposite. sides of. the longitudinal, axis of the surface. In thepresent instance of the invention, the feeler tip 15 extends or divergesupwardly and the feeler tip 16 extends or diverges downwardly, theconstruction being such that frontward pressure exerted against thefeeler tips tends to vent responsive turning movement of the feeler tothe frontward pressure when a working supply of filling is present on adetecting beat. In the preferred form of the.

invention, each of the feeler tips 15 and 16 is provided with one'ormore teeth 18 which extend transversely of the tip or in a directionlongitudinally of the filling carrier or bobbin within the shuttle, sothat such teeth engage the filling transversely to its direction ofwind, and sink into it when a work ing supply of filling is present inthe shuttle on a detecting beat and prevent rotative movement of thefeeler as it moves frontwardly. d r

The lateral separation of the feeler tips 15 and 16 is preferably formedby removing a portion of the end of the feeler as at 17.

The rear flange 6 of the feeler carrier is provided with an opening 10as hereinbefore described, which is of a shape to-receive the flattenedplate 9 of the feeler and permit suchplate to turn on its longitudinalaxis within restricted limits. 1 The opening, or bearing 10 is providedwith the-widened end portions 19 and 20, Figs, '2 and 3, which affordproper guiding bearings for the flattened plate '9 of the feeler and yetpermit 7 such" portion of the feeler to turn'within limits about itslongitudinal axls.

The feeler has connected to it, means for transmitting motion to thetrain of mechanism for effecting replenishment of filling when thefeeler isrocked or turned on adetecting beat. In the present instancethe feeler has an arm 21, Figs. 1 and 2, rising therefrom, to which ispivotally connected at 22 a transmitter 23. The transmitter 23 may beconnected to any appropriate train of mechanism, well understood bythose skilled in the art for effecting replenishment of filling when thefeeleris rocked or'turned on 'its longitudinal axis on a detecting beat.

The shuttle 24 is providedwith the usual opening'25 in the side wallthereof, through which the feelerinay enter and feel for the filling ona detecting beat. The filling carrier or bobbin 26'may be mounted in theshuttle by the usual bobbin-holding aws'27 and rings 28. These featuresmay be of the usual character in shuttles employed in fillingreplenishing looms.

When a'worlring supply of filling is present in the shuttle on adetecting beat, the

roughened or toothed portions 18 of the two feeler tips 15 and 16 engageand sink into n the filling and prevent responsive turning movement ofthe feeler to the frontward pressure upon the tips as the feeler movesfrontwardly,as indicated in Fig. 6, wherein the feeler carrier or bobbin26 is'indicated asbeing provided with a working supply of filling 29.When, however, filling is sub stantially exhaus'ted on a detecting beat,the feeler tips 15'and '16 will engage the substantially denuded fillingcarrier or bobbin and, under the frontward pressure thereof against thefeeler tips 15 and 16, the feeler will be given a turning or rotativemovement as the lay beats up. This is indicated in Fig. 5, wherein thefillin carrier 26 is shown as being substantially exhausted of filling,and the feeler as having been turned or rocked by the frontward pressureas the lay makes its detecting beat.

What is claimed is:

1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler havingengaging end portions extending in opposite directions transversely ofthe bobbin in the shuttle and laterally separated longitudinally of thebobbin and tending to effect rotation of the feeler on its longitudinalaxis under the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle on adetecting beat, means for supporting the feeler for longitudinal androtative movements, and means to effect replenishment of filling whenthe feeler is rotated on a detecting beat.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feelersupported for rotative movement about its longitudinal axis, and havinglaterally separated engaging end portions diverging transversely of thelongitudinal axis of the bobbin in the shuttle which tend to rotate thefeeler under the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle on adetecting beat, and means for effecting replenishment of filling whenthe feeler in response to the frontward pressure is turned upon itslongitudinal axis.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having atip provided with upwardly and downwardly diverging portions inseparated relation which tends to rotate the feeler under the frontwardpressure of a surface within the shuttle on a detecting beat and whichis prevented from effecting such rotative movement by engagement withthe filling until substantial exhaustion thereof, and means foreffecting replenishment of filling when the feeler' is given rotativemovement by the frontward pressure upon it on a detecting beat.

4:. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler havingtwo tips or engaging portions which are laterally sep arated and whichdiverge to engage a surface within the shuttle at opposite sides of thelongitudinal axis thereof on a detecting beat and tend to rotate thefeeler due to the frontward pressure upon the two tips, and means foreffecting replenishment of filling when the feeler is rotated.

5. A feeler mounted for rotative movement and having two relativelynon-movable laterally separated diverging tips which under the frontwardpressure of a surface within the shuttle against said diverging tips ona detecting beat tend to rotate the feeler about its longitudinal axis.

6. A. feeler mounted for rotativc movement and having two relativelynon-movable laterally separated diverging tips having filling engagingteeth which under the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttleagainst the said diverging tips on a detecting beat tend to rotate thefeeler about its longitudinal axis.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC SNOW.

